brake parachute: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very low / TechnicalSpecialised / Technical / Military
Quick answer
What does “brake parachute” mean?
A parachute deployed from the rear of an aircraft during landing to provide aerodynamic drag and shorten the landing roll.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A parachute deployed from the rear of an aircraft during landing to provide aerodynamic drag and shorten the landing roll.
A device used to rapidly decelerate high-speed vehicles or aircraft, such as racing cars, military jets, or space shuttles, upon landing or during high-speed testing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in the term itself. Usage is identical in both technical aviation/military contexts.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and specialised in both UK and US English, found almost exclusively in aviation, aerospace, and motorsports discourse.
Grammar
How to Use “brake parachute” in a Sentence
The [AIRCRAFT] deployed its [BRAKE PARACHUTE].A [BRAKE PARACHUTE] is used to slow down [VEHICLE].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brake parachute” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The Eurofighter will brake-parachute upon landing.
- The prototype was designed to brake-parachute.
American English
- The F-15 will brake-parachute after touchdown.
- The vehicle is equipped to brake-parachute.
adverb
British English
- [Not standard; no common adverbial form]
American English
- [Not standard; no common adverbial form]
adjective
British English
- The brake-parachute deployment was nominal.
- We inspected the brake-parachute mechanism.
American English
- The brake-parachute test was successful.
- Check the brake-parachute housing for damage.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in engineering, aeronautics, and physics papers discussing landing dynamics or vehicle deceleration.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be encountered in documentaries about aviation, Formula 1, or space exploration.
Technical
Standard term in aerospace engineering, military aviation, and high-performance motorsports (e.g., drag racing, land speed record cars).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “brake parachute”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “brake parachute”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brake parachute”
- Misspelling as 'break parachute' (confusing homophones 'brake'/'break').
- Using in non-technical contexts where it would be misunderstood.
- Using plural 'brakes parachute' (incorrect; the first noun 'brake' acts as an adjective and is not pluralised).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. A regular parachute is designed to lower a person or object safely to the ground by creating lift/drag. A brake parachute is solely designed to create massive drag (air resistance) to slow down a vehicle that is already on or near the ground.
No. They are primarily used on high-performance military aircraft (e.g., fighters, bombers), some spacecraft (like the Space Shuttle), and certain types of racing cars that land or operate at extremely high speeds where wheel brakes alone are insufficient.
After the vehicle has slowed sufficiently, the brake parachute is typically jettisoned (released) onto the runway or track to prevent it from being run over or causing obstruction. Ground crew then recover it.
No. In this compound noun, 'brake' functions as a modifying noun (an attributive noun) and is almost never pluralised, even if the parachute system involves multiple canopies. You would say 'brake parachutes' (plural for the whole unit) or 'brake parachute system'.
A parachute deployed from the rear of an aircraft during landing to provide aerodynamic drag and shorten the landing roll.
Brake parachute is usually specialised / technical / military in register.
Brake parachute: in British English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪk ˌpær.ə.ʃuːt/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈbreɪk ˌper.ə.ʃuːt/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None specific to this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a race car with a BRAKE (slowing) system that looks like a PARACHUTE (a cloth canopy) popping out of its back to stop it, just like a jet fighter.
Conceptual Metaphor
A REVERSIBLE ANCHOR or AERIAL ANCHOR (it grabs the air to hold the vehicle back).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary purpose of a brake parachute?